Posted Abroad: Law Firm Associates Go International
[Matthew Ahn]
Talk of “global” law ﬁrms was once just propaganda from national or regional ﬁrms wishing to appear more impressive to their clients. But today, more and
more attorneys are ﬁnding themselves at ﬁrms with truly worldwide reach.

Over the past decade, international has

in an overseas office for two to three months.

and commit to a foreign placement. Sarah

become the buzzword of choice for almost

This program is designed to expose associ-

Whittington, a student from Harvard Law

every industry, and law is no exception. The

ates at an early stage in their careers to the

School who summered at the London office

idea of the global law firm made the transi-

breadth and excitement of practicing in one

of Kirkland & Ellis, notes, “Even though I had

tion from pipe dream to reality as foreign

of our international offices,” says Watanabe.

worked in England before, working there

legal markets began to open up and domestic

“Because our overseas offices are smaller

as a lawyer was really eye-opening. A lot is

law firms began to spawn overseas branches

and the number of lawyers staffed on deals

expected of you even on the first day, so I

by the dozen. This has been particularly true

is lower, young associates often have more

felt that there were no artificial limitations

of large U.S. law firms, which have been able

individual responsibility and get greater

put on me simply because I was a summer

to capitalize on the near-universal accep-

hands-on experience than they might in one

associate.”

tance of American corporate law as the inter-

of our U.S. domestic offices.”
Others who are benefiting from the globaliza-

national legal standard. Almost any foreign
transaction which has repercussions in the

At the same time, Watanabe points out, it’s

tion of law firms are LLMs, who are generally

U.S. (read: virtually every foreign transac-

not a sink-or-swim mentality: “Though we

older and have more work experience than

tion) is subject to regulation by the U.S.

want our young associates to accept a lot

their JD classmates. Since they already have

Securities and Exchange Commission; as a

of responsibility in the foreign offices, as-

contacts and experience, they may be able

result, a whole new spectrum of opportuni-

sistance and support are always waiting for

to bring more to the table than their younger

ties has opened up to attorneys.

them from our domestic offices.”

counterparts; LLMs often act as the bridge

Ramez Nasser, an associate in the U.S. law

Since most of the work done in the foreign

Andrew Mitchell, a recent LLM graduate of

group of Allen & Overy in London, describes

offices of American or British firms is trans-

the Harvard Law School, has worked on both

the global lawyer as someone who delights

actional, corporate lawyers often get first

sides of the Pacific-at Farris, Vaughan, Wills

in a “truly international practice with a genu-

dibs on overseas assignments. Still, litigators

& Murphy in Vancouver and Allens Arthur

inely entrepreneurial spirit. Those who enjoy

can avail themselves of chances to work on

Robinson in Melbourne-and has straddled

accepting responsibility, travel, and intellec-

international arbitrations, though these op-

the Atlantic as well, spending a summer at

tual challenge will find it a perfect fit.”

portunities are harder to come by. Moreover,

Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York before

there are some notable exceptions to the

continuing his studies in international trade

rule: Morrison & Foerster’s Tokyo office,

law at the University of Cambridge. Firms

which opened in response to clients’ litiga-

seeking more versatile and seasoned lawyers

tion needs, is one of the few foreign offices

who are unafraid of spending time abroad

of an American firm that offer litigators an

are finding LLMs like Mitchell increasingly

opportunity to work abroad on a permanent

attractive as prospective recruits.

between domestic and foreign attorneys.

Who Can Go Abroad?
JDs are regularly offered the chance to travel
outside the country to work on single transactions or arbitrations, and firms encourage
them to accept temporary overseas postings.
Tsugu Watanabe, a partner in the global
project finance department at Milbank Tweed
Hadley & McCloy in New York, regularly
travels to the Tokyo office. “Rising secondyear associates at Milbank are offered the
opportunity to undertake a voluntary rotation

PAGE 1

basis.

Why Go Abroad?
Many large law firms with multiple foreign
offices allow summer associates to spend

Perhaps the two most obvious reasons to

several weeks at one of their branches. This

go are great learning opportunities and the

is a relatively risk-free way for law students

satisfaction of wanderlust. Watanabe notes,

to try it out before they take the plunge

“One of the purposes of [Milbank’s foreign

continued on back

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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER

rotation] program is to give young associates

Those who go abroad can also expect differ-

themselves as the only truly global law firms

who are interested in working overseas the

ences, some obvious and some subtle, in the

in the world. While there used to be unspo-

opportunity to test the waters and see if it’s

way day-to-day work is conducted in other

ken rules that even U.S. offices of such firms

really for them. We want to create a larger

countries. For example, in many parts of Asia

would only advise on U.K. law, they have now

group of attorneys who are knowledgeable

it is expected that attorneys will come in to

moved into the U.S. market and are increas-

about and have experience in our foreign of-

the office on Saturdays regardless of their

ingly becoming competitors for domestic busi-

fices-these are often the attorneys who later

workload; likewise, the overall number of

ness in addition to foreign transactions.

decide to undertake longer work rotations

hours spent in the office may be higher than

abroad.”

in a typical U.S. office. In Europe, attorneys

“In the last few years especially, the depth

might find that face time is still expected, and

of our U.S. law capabilities has increased

Whittington agrees: “Because the [London]

that they can’t take the afternoon off even

considerably. We are advising in an ever-

office was smaller than Kirkland’s American

when there’s nothing to do. In short, those go-

increasing variety of areas, including equity

offices, the work environment was a lot more

ing abroad should familiarize themselves with

and debt offerings, mergers and acquisitions,

intimate and I received a higher degree of

the cultural differences, even if the work itself

derivatives, project finance, securitization,

responsibility than I would have back in the

is going to be similar.

banking, asset finance, insolvency and U.S.

States.”

tax,” adds Thomas Jones, another partner in
“The culture at my firm is collegial and laid

A&O’s U.S. Law Group. “The recent addition of

For those law students and associates who

back,” says Rose. “I chose this firm over a

a number of high-profile partners has allowed

are fortunate enough to know exactly which

rather prestigious New York firm because I

us to reach out into new practice areas and

practice area they want to be in, working in

understood the hours to be more tolerable.

has solidified our standing in the international

overseas offices may be one of the best op-

With certain exceptions, I work 9:30 a.m. to

legal marketplace.”

tions for training, since they often specialize

7:30 p.m. with occasional weekends.”

in particular fields. “Kirkland’s London office
does a lot of private equity work, which is

experience in the destination country is required. Those factors may certainly help make

continued

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CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER

you feel more comfortable in social settings,

ings. Today, I think that is much less the case.

but all of our work is conducted in English.”

Training is another story. Few if any U.S. firms
in London are prepared to train a new lawyer.

In the end, most firms are unable to fill their

Most firms would not start you out here and

larger foreign offices’ demands for more U.S.

the ones that do would probably not be looking

trained attorneys. It was rumored that in the

out for your best interests. Also, starting out

offices of some prominent New York firms,

at a far-flung office would position you for

associates would find themselves on planes

practicing in that niche area-and leave you

the minute the words “Hong Kong” crossed

less flexibility upon your return. I’d recom-

their lips. While such stories may be apoc-

mend learning the nuts and bolts of trans-

ryphal, the general trend seems to be that

actional practice in the U.S. for a few years

firms are more than happy to send people to

before moving across the pond.”

foreign offices that handle a high number of
transactions. Unfortunately for young associates, these offices generally aren’t the most
popular tourist destinations.

Look Before You Leap
Until a few years ago, being sent abroad usually meant you were no longer on the partnership track. Returning to the U.S. after a period
abroad would generally put you at a disadvantage when new partners were being elected.
But this may be changing. “Some feel working
overseas actually improves your chances at
partnership,” says one associate, “since it
shows the partners you’re a team player and
willing to travel for the greater good of the
firm. I’m not sure the statistics bear that out;
however, it certainly can’t hurt, and partners
do tend to encourage it, so there may be some
truth to that.”
Still, he discourages new attorneys from
starting out overseas: “As for starting in
a foreign office, I wouldn’t recommend it,
because it’s important to understand how a
firm functions and to get a feel for the firm’s
culture if you want to get the most out of your
tenure there. Only in the main office can you
get that sense. Also, it’s the best opportunity
to meet and work with most of the big guns at
the firm.”
Rose concurs: “With respect to partnership
prospects, years ago, working at a branch
office may have been a detriment unless you
were at a firm that encouraged foreign post-